The Way We Were
by Escritor
Summary: Mem'ries, like the corners of my mind, misty watercolored memories, of the way we were... GinnyDraco. Sorta sad I don't own the song Memories. Rent Beaches if you've never heard it, k?


The Way We Were

Mem'ries, like the corners of my mind, misty water-colored memories, of the way we were... (Ginny/Draco. Sorta sad)

19-year-old Ginny Weasley walked the halls of St. Mungo's, trying to find room 432. Her small heeled-shoes clip-clapped on the floor, and she was growing more and more aggitated with the sound. Finally she grumbled and stopped at a "We're Here To Help!" desk, crossing her arms and waiting for the mediwitch to notice her.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"Um, hi, I'm looking for room 432 please?"

The woman looked at a large map of the hospital, then back up at the redhead with a serious expression. "The Terminally Ill room," she said. "I'm so sorry. Down the east hall and to your left."

Ginny stood there for a moment in shock. The_ Terminally Ill _room? But she wasn't even sure who was dying! All she knew was that she had gotten a call from Severus Snape saying that she was wanted in the hospital, room 432.

"Oh. Okay. Thank you."

She quickly took off, her heart racing. _Who could it be? Someone close to me? _

She stared at the door numbers and found she was slowly getting closer.

_429_

_430_

_431_

and then... _432_.She paused outside the door, hand hovering over the handle for a few moments. Just as she was about to open the door, she stopped and stood in the hallway, feeling as if she could cry. Although she didn't even know who was dying, she knew they wanted her to be there, which made the whole predicament so much more extreme. Finally, she opened the door, the sound of beeps filling her ears, and gasped.

"Dr-_Draco_?"

Severus Snape looked up at her outburst and frowned at her. She was expecting him to look harsh and cold, considering his star pupil was slowly dying... He motioned for her to come near the bed and she slowly obliged, sitting in the chair next to Malfoy's bed. She noticed that the blonde was sleeping, and that his face looked pale, quiet, and defeated.

"Why am I here, Proffes- Uhh...?" she said, trying to forget the memories of a livlier Draco that came to mind.

Snape frowned again. "Draco is dying, and he wanted to tell you he was sorry for all the things he did to you during school. He actually wanted to talk to you personally, but he... fell asleep."

Ginny nodded. "Okay." It was silent before she asked, "Um... what does he have?"  
"He has an advanced form of cancer."

Ginny nodded again, not really knowing what that was. "Do I... wait for him to wake up?"

Snape shook his head. "No, anything could... happen..." Quietly, he shook Draco, who opened his cold eyes and looked into Ginny's live ones.

"Ginny is here to see you, Draco," Snape said, stating the obvious. Draco nodded and Snape left the room.

It was quiet, and Ginny could feel all the memories she had with him pouring into her head.

"Um, hi," she whispered, feeling her voice crack.

Draco smiled softly. "Hello, Red."

_Mem'ries_

_Like the corners of my mind_

_Misty water-colored memories_

_Of the way we were_

_Scattered pictures,_

_Of the smiles we left behind_

_Smiles we gave to one another_

_For the way we were_

Ginny put her hand over her mouth and felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "H-How are y-you?"

"The same," he said in a slightly monotone voice. "And yourself?"

"P-peachy, as always..." and with that, she began crying full out. Draco gripped her hand and moved over as much as he could on his hospital bed, the beeps of his machinery slightly quickening as he moved but slowed down when he relaxed. He patted the space next to him and Ginny laid in it, putting her head on his chest like they used to, back when all was right...

_Can it be that it was so simple then?_

_Or has time re-written every line?_

_If we had the chance to do it all again_

_Tell me, would we? Could we?_

_"Draco, no one's going to believe we're together!" Ginny laughed from the Quidditch dugout. "I mean, really, you and a 'Muggle-Lover'..."_

_"I know, what am I thinking?" he joked, earning a light slap from Ginny._

_The joking quickly ended as she looked into his eyes. "But seriously, are we just going to be a secret forever? Can you even **keep** love a secret?"_

_Draco was about to respond when he stopped. "What did you call it?"_

_"What? Huh?"_

_Draco smiled. "You called it love."_

_"No I didn't!"_

_"Yes you did."_

_"NO, I didn't!"_

_"Well I love you too."_

_"NO, I - what?"_

_"I love you too," he repeated just before her lips attacked his._

"How has your life been?"

Ginny shrugged. "The same... I work in the Ministry of Magic now."

Draco seemed interested. "Oh, as what?"

"Just a secretary, but I'm sure I'll move up _eventually_... So, what about your life? Before you got sick..."

"Hasn't been much of life. I've... been sick for a while."

Ginny gasped. "This whole time?"

He nodded slowly, putting his lips on the top of her head and breathing in the scent of her hair. As he spoke, she felt his lips moving on her head. "Have you...been with anyone?"

Ginny shook her head. "No one but Harry, but we're...apart right now..."

_Mem'ries, may be beautiful and yet_

_What's too painful to remember_

_We simply choose to forget_

_Draco and Ginny entered the dance, causing the ballroom to practically gasp at the couple. **GINNY** and **DRACO**? What an unlikely pair! But they didn't seem what was so unlikely about it as they twirled around the ballroom._

_"What the bloody hell is going on!" Ron yelled, seperating Draco and Ginny._

_"Ron, don't start," Ginny whispered, fixing the strap of her dress._

_"Don't tell me what to do, _GINEVRA_!"_

_Harry frowned. "What are you doing with him, Ginny? He's... him!"_

_"Just because you lot hate him doesn't mean I have to, too!"_

_She glanced at Draco, who was looking for an exit. Finally, he seemed to spot one, and they grabbed hands and ran out, panting. When they had gotten far away from the yelling brothers and ex-boyfriends, he looked at her seriously._

_"We can't do this, Red."_

_"Wha-What?"_

_He opened his arms. "This, we can't do it! I'm breaking apart your family, I'm - I'm ruining your name, not to mention my own."_

_"I thought we didn't care about that," she said quietly, feeling tears brim her eyes. "I thought we were going to try, despite what everyone said!"_

_"Please don't be mad, Ginny..."_

_"How can I not be mad, Draco? We give each other everything and like that!" she snapped her fingers "it's all ruined, because you're scared!"_

Draco smiled again, this time weaker and filled with sorrow. "Marry him, okay? And forget about me."

"What?" she whispered, turning round to face him. "I may marry him one day, Draco... but I could never forget about you, or the love we shared. _Never_."

Draco felt a shiver run up his spine as he slowly brought his head down to hers, kissing her with all the strength left in his body.

"I love you," he whispered, as the beeps became quicker.

"I love you too," she whispered back. "And always will."

"Promise?" he said in a barely audible voice.

"Pr-romise," she said, beginning to cry.

She felt him slowly falling away as the beeping increased to form one hum... And with that, she lost the love of her life.

As she walked through the hallway, she couldn't ignore the kisses and the smiles, the shared moments and other memories rushing through her head as the tears flowed freely down her face.

_So it's the laughter_

_We will remember_

_Whenever we remember_

_The way we were..._

_Ginny smiled to Draco before he got on the train to go home to a life she knew nothing of, a life she wasn't included in. And she knew that since it was his last year, it would be the last time she would ever see his blond head again._

_Running up to him, she threw her arms around him and kissed him intensly, wishing they would never part._

_"I'll always love you, Ginny," he said quietly, smiling.  
"I'll always love _you_, Draco."_

_Before he got on the train, he turned around and grinned at her. "'Bye, Red," he whispered, putting his arm up to say goodbye._

"Bye, Draco," Ginny whispered, leaving the hospital.

_The way we were..._

FIN

Author's Note: Not one of the saddest things I've written, but to me, one of the most meaningful. Rather then have some "BANG YR DEAD" kinda thing, I wanted to try the whole slowly dying, memories brushing past you as you say your last goodbyes kinda thing. So, whaddya think?


End file.
